


Moonshine

by WardenRoot



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Sexual Tension, Various Legends Appear, inspired by a song, no actual smut but rating is for sexual themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-08 11:02:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20834393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WardenRoot/pseuds/WardenRoot
Summary: Ava is sure of one thing — she does not have time for a relationship. So when her friend introduces her to Sara and they end up sleeping together, she is definitely okay with just being friends with benefits. Right?





	1. Satin Sheets and Privacy

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @Starling83 and @LadyXana for betaing this <3
> 
> Inspired by Moonshine by Tyler Carter, which is also (obviously) where the title comes from, and the chapter titles as well

Ava is not sure how they ended up here. She had been dragged to a frat party by Charlie — all of them had, because Charlie had decided it was time for them to hang out as a group and that a  _ frat _ party was the best way to do so.

Ava had only gone because Nora threatened to kill her if Ava left her alone with the rest of them. Of course, Nora had left her the moment she spotted Ray.  _ Figures _ .

Ava had not quite realized how  _ many _ people Charlie hangs out with — and how many of them she did not really know. Among them, one Sara Lance.

Of course, Ava  _ knew  _ who she was. But before tonight, they had never properly met. So how did they end up here, in Ava’s bedroom, with Sara giving Ava’s naked body a lingering glance before collecting her clothes?

As Sara gets herself dressed, Ava pulls the covers over her body, suddenly feeling too exposed.

“This was fun,” Sara says, shooting her a smug smile. 

“Totally,” Ava says, mentally facepalming herself at her reply.

“Well, I better get going. Goodnight, Ava.” Sara gives her — now covered — body a last once-over before sauntering over to the bedroom door. Ava wonders if she walks so slowly because she  _ wants  _ Ava to stare at her ass.

“Goodnight,” Ava rushes out before Sara disappears.

When she hears the apartment door open and close, she groans, pulling the covers over her head.  _ How did she allow this to happen? _ Obviously, it is Charlie’s fault. Ava is not eager to go to parties under usual circumstances, plus, this week in particular had not been great. Of course, Charlie had been adamant a party was exactly what Ava needed.

Ava wants nothing more than to say she was wrong. And it’s not like the  _ party _ had helped. But, as she allows herself to sink into her bed, she cannot say that sleeping with Sara  _ hadn’t _ helped relax her. In fact, she cannot remember being this relaxed since she started college.

Still, it’s not like she can just run off and have sex whenever things get extra stressful. That would be irresponsible, and stupid, and so not like her. And getting a girlfriend is definitely off the table — that would interfere far too much with her studies. So, this would have to stay a one-time thing.

Ava nods to herself, pleased with having reached a conclusion she can stand by. Besides, it’s not like she is going to have to speak to Sara again or acknowledge their night together. She can live happily pretending their night together was just a dream and that she had not swerved from her studies to do something stupid.

***

That feeling lasts the rest of the weekend. Ava spends it in her apartment, catching up on the studying time she lost while at the party. However, when Monday rolls around, she has no choice but to go to class. Of course, she is happily ignoring everything that happened  _ that _ night.

Her friends, however, have other ideas.

“You know,” Nate says, looking at Ava with something akin to  _ hurt _ in his eyes, “you didn’t tell anyone when you left the party Saturday.”

“Oh. Sorry about that,” Ava says, creasing her brow. “I think the week just finally got the best of me and I had to get home.”

“Nah,” Charlie says, inspecting her as they walk across campus. “There’s somethin’ different about you.”

“What?” Ava asks, having long given up on trying to understand her friend.

“You’re less… stuck up than usual.” Ava makes a sound of protest, but Charlie ignores it. “Oh my  _ God _ , our girl got laid.”

Ava chokes on her own spit and has to stop walking to catch her breath. “Excuse me?” she sputters, not knowing how to deal with the accusation.

“This is great!” Charlie exclaims, ignoring Ava’s words. “I’ve been tellin’ you you need to get laid since we met. Who was it?”

“No one!” Ava tightens her hold on her bag and picks up her pace again, eager to get to class.

“Sure, luv, whatever makes you sleep at night.” Charlie offers her a lewd smile and slings her arm around Ava’s shoulders.

When Ava finally escapes through the door to the class she has  _ alone _ , she lets out a breath of relief. Her relief is short-lived, however, when just a few minutes after she has taken her seat,  _ she _ walks through the door.

Because  _ of course _ she does.

Logically, Ava  _ knows _ they share classes and should not be surprised to see her here. But she had been so focused on  _ not _ thinking about what happened that she was not expecting to see Sara again at all. And it’s not like they have ever paid attention to each other before in class anyway.

Now, however, as Sara spots her, she has the audacity to send Ava a  _ smile _ and a short nod. What is even worse is Ava finds herself returning it.

_ This is not how it is supposed to go. _ It is bad enough the night happened at all — that Ava allowed herself to sleep with someone she barely even knew — but to have to be reminded of it?  _ Someone kill her now. _ How is she supposed to get through class with a reminder of the mistake she made sitting only a few desks away?

(Not very well is the answer.)

***

“Please, make yourself at home,” Ava sighs as Charlie plops down in one of her chairs, hanging her feet off of the armrest.

Charlie simply gives her a mock salute in reply as everyone else starts pouring through the door. How had Ava let herself be convinced into this?

Charlie had, of course, insisted they attend another party once the weekend rolled around again. Ava had refused, not having recovered from the last frat party she had been dragged to. Not even Nora’s threats could make her go.

So, of course, Charlie had decided that, seeing as Ava is the only one in the group with an apartment of her own, they would have their own party there. Ava had reluctantly agreed — it is better than the alternative, and it’s not like she really had a choice in the matter.

Of course, what Ava did not think of, is that Charlie meant the  _ whole _ group. Not just the people  _ Ava _ is used to hanging out with, but the people  _ Charlie _ is used to hanging out with. Which includes  _ Sara. _

Sara is the last one through the door, and Ava gets the impression she had been herding everyone else through it, with the way she quickly looks over everyone and gives herself a slight nod. Ava cannot help herself from thinking it adorable.

Sara gives Ava a smile when her eyes land on her, and Ava is helpless to return it.

“For you,” Sara says as she dumps a six-pack of beer on the counter.

“Thanks?” Ava says, eyeing the beer warily.

“Something wrong?” Sara asks, a hint of defiance in those blue eyes.

“No… It’s just, I’m not really a fan of beer.” Ava turns her nose. Her parents had never been big on beer, preferring fancy wines and whiskey, and their expensive tastes had rubbed off on Ava.

“More for me,” Sara says with a shrug, pulling the case towards herself. As she pulls a bottle out, she asks, “Got an opener laying around?”

“Top drawer next to the fridge,” Ava says, pointing in the drawer’s direction.

Sara passes by her to get to it, and Ava shivers as she gets close enough for Ava to feel the warmth oozing off her body.

“Oi, Sharpe! Where do you keep your whiskey? I know you have some,” Charlie says, her sudden appearance by the counter startling Ava.

Ava sighs. She should have known Charlie’s primary objective would be to drink her dry.

“Sit back down and I’ll go find one,” Ava says, staring suspiciously as Charlie weaves around Sara in the kitchen to get glasses.

“You got it,” Charlie says after a second, emerging with a handful of glasses in her arms.

“Whiskey, huh?” Sara raises an eyebrow at her as she opens her beer bottle.

“Yep,” Ava says, hyper-aware of Sara’s eyes curiously following her as she finds the whiskey in its hiding spot.

Walking back to the rest of the group, Ava pauses when her eyes fall on a burly looking man lighting a match as Charlie stares at him.

“That’s Mick,” Sara says beside her. “Leaving him and Charlie alone is the  _ opposite _ of a good idea.”

Ava shakes her head. She will consider the night a victory as long as her apartment is still standing in the morning.

Which it miraculously does at the end of the night. Ray and Nora are the first to leave, after the former spent a good twenty minutes asking if Ava was sure she did not want them to help clean up. Amaya and Nate do the same when they leave, as opposed to Mick, who simply grunts out a goodbye and disappears out the door.

Charlie and Zari also ask, but Ava gets the feeling it is more of a courtesy than a genuine offer. Either way, Ava refuses. She appreciates everyone’s offers, but she has always preferred to clean with peace and quiet around her — the one thing this group could never offer.

“Sara, you coming?” Zari asks, frowning at Sara’s position on the couch.

“You go ahead.” Sara offers her a wave but makes no move to get up.

“If you’re sure…” Zari says, waiting a beat for Sara to change her mind before Charlie drags her out the door.

When they are gone, Ava arches an eyebrow at Sara and crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“Someone should stay behind and help,” Sara says. “And that bunch is not great at the cleaning part.”

“I appreciate it, but you can leave with Zari if you want. She’s your roommate, right?” A wave of guilt washes over Ava — she does not want to keep anyone from more important things.

“Nah. She’ll probably end up at Charlie’s anyway.” Sara shrugs and makes herself comfortable on the couch once more. “Just gimme a minute with your couch. I didn’t get to make its acquaintance the last time I was here.” 

Ava chokes on some wayward spit as heat rushes to her cheeks. There is a smirk on Sara’s lips that Ava chooses to ignore.

Despite Ava’s reservations towards cleaning with others, tidying up the mess left by their small group goes by surprisingly quick with Sara’s help. Ava lets her shoulders relax as she closes the dishwasher, having put the last dirty dish into it.

Turning around, however, all the tension returns to her body as she finds herself much too close to Sara. She briefly registers the sound of a bottle sliding against the counter as Sara places it down behind her. Ava is certain the bottle could have gone anywhere on the counter that did not require Sara to get right up in her personal space, basically trapping Ava between her and the counter.

“Thank you. For the help.” Ava clears her throat as she glances between Sara’s face and her kitchen.

“You’re very welcome,” Sara purrs, her voice silky smooth as she moves her hand from the counter to Ava’s arm.

Ava opens her mouth but no words come out. Her heart pounds in her chest as Sara takes half a step closer. She stumbles slightly and Ava’s hands, which had been hanging uselessly at her side, come up to hold her steady, unintentionally pressing their bodies flush.

Ava is given no time to prepare as Sara surges up, catching Ava’s lips in a searing kiss. Sara tastes of beer, whiskey, and pizza, and in any other instance Ava would have found the combo repulsive. On Sara’s lips, however, it only leaves her wanting more.

_ This is a bad idea _ . First and foremost because Ava has already decided that she and Sara were a one-time thing, a mistake, but also because, if Sara does not come home at a decent hour and Zari — and by extension, Charlie — notices, they will conclude that they have slept together.

Of course, they would be right. But Ava cannot stand the thought of Charlie teasing her with that information.

“Sara, what—” Ava says out of breath as she ends their kiss.

“What do you mean ‘what’?” Sara asks innocently as her fingers move to unbutton Ava’s button-up from the bottom.

Ava finds it hard to come up with a logical answer as Sara pushes up on her toes and leaves light kisses down Ava’s jaw.

“Don’t you have to get home?” Ava asks, flexing her stomach as cool air travels through her now half-open shirt.

“Like I said, Zari’ll end up at Charlie’s,” Sara says, making no move to stop what she is doing.

Ava closes her eyes.  _ This is a mistake, _ she repeats to herself. A mistake she has already made at that. But it is hard to think straight with Sara so close, and it does not take long before they are back in Ava’s bed, reacquainting themselves with each other’s bodies.

It ends the same way as before — with Sara letting herself out as soon as they have both recovered and with Ava cursing her recent lack of self-control.

So it has ended up being a two-time thing. But it will  _ not _ go any further. At least, that is what Ava tells herself.

***

Ava bites the end of her pen. Her desk is a mess. She has five different books open, for three different classes, all of which she has exams for in a little over a week. To go with them, she has three new notebooks, each with a few pages filled, and she-does-not-even-know how many old notebooks filled to the brim with notes. 

She knows she has to study, but she has reached the point where she can’t even tell her Criminal Science book apart from her Political Science one.  _ How is she going to survive this? _

Ava jumps when she hears the loud sound of someone knocking on her door. She scrunches her face. She has not ordered anything, has she? She glances at her phone — her next food break is not supposed to be for a few hours yet.

Curiously, she makes for the apartment door. She does not know if she should be annoyed or happy to see the person on the other side — she settles for a mix of both.

“Sara?” she says questioningly, narrowing her eyes at her.

“Hey, Aves.” Ava creases her brow at the newly given nickname — no one has ever called her that before, not even Nora. 

While Ava is lost in her thoughts, Sara easily pushes past her into the apartment.

“Please, come in, make yourself at home,” Ava says dryly as she closes the door.

“Thanks.” Sara shoots her a charming smile, and it catches her off guard.  _ Why does she have to be so pretty? _

“Why are you here?” Ava asks, curious about why Sara decided to show up at her apartment of all places.

“Because you’re really cute?” Sara says, flashing her that smile again. Ava simply arches an eyebrow, making Sara sigh as she drops down on the couch. “Charlie’s coming over so Zari kicked me out. So, I decided if they’re getting some, I might as well get some too.”

Ava spends a moment longer trying to decipher Sara’s words until it hits her.  _ Sara’s come over for a booty call _ .

“I’m… in the middle of studying for exams. Shouldn’t you be, too?” Ava asks, still trying to wrap her brain around the situation. 

Sara simply shrugs and jumps up from the couch. “You’ve been studying for hours,” Sara says with certainty in her voice, as if she had a window into Ava’s life. Not that she is wrong. “Exams have got you all stressed. So, you need some stress relief.” Sara widens her arms as if to show herself off.

Ava rolls her eyes.  _ Stress relief _ . So that is what they are calling it now.

“I have studying to do,” she says, narrowing her eyes as Sara takes a few steps closer.

“You have stress relief to  _ do _ ,” Sara says lowly, reaching a hand out for Ava’s belt buckle. 

Ava continues to look at her skeptically, but allows herself to be pulled closer. When Sara wraps her arms around her waist, Ava lets out a slow breath. Taking a break from her studies might do her some good. Logically, she knows breaks are important, but it is hard when her entire future relies on her grades.

But,  _ stress relief _ might be exactly what she needs.

Which is the only reason why she leans down as Sara leans up, pressing their lips together as she buries her hands in Sara’s hair. Sara moans as Ava lightly bites down on her lip. Ava takes a step forward, then another, and yet another, pushing Sara backwards until they arrive at the bedroom door. 

On the way, Sara reaches for the hem of Ava’s sweater, their kiss only breaking long enough for her to tear the sweater off. Ava’s bra goes next, and Sara just about opens the zipper of Ava’s pants before Ava has her pinned against the wall right inside her bedroom.

She takes half a step back, having to stop herself from allowing Sara to chase her, and takes a look down. Ava is nearly naked and Sara still has all her clothes on.  _ That has to change _ .

“Now wasn’t that just what you needed?” Sara asks, climbing up from between Ava’s thighs.

“Maybe,” Ava admits with a roll of her eyes. 

“Good,” Sara says, leaning down to give Ava a kiss. Ava moans into it as she tastes herself. “I’m starving!” Sara declares after, putting half her body over the edge of the bed to search for something. Ava does not see what it is until her own phone is shoved in her face. “Open it?”

“Why?” Ava asks warily, hesitantly taking her phone from Sara.

“Because you can actually afford Uber Eats.” The  _ duh _ in Sara’s tone is not lost on her. 

Ava sighs, quickly unlocking the phone and handing it back to Sara. “And why, exactly, are you eating here?” Ava does not mean it in any negative way, but she has studying to get back to and having a wayward guest really was not in any of her plans.

“Long enough to make sure  _ you _ eat.” Sara looks at her from the corner of her eye and Ava rolls her own.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t?” she asks with a huff.

“Because when I first got here you were resisting a break. And when I leave, you’ll get right back to your studying, probably getting lost in it.” Sara raises an eyebrow and glances at her.

Ava does not dignify it with an answer, but she cannot say for certain that Sara’s analysis would be  _ wrong _ .

“Food will be here in half an hour!” Sara announces, putting the phone on the nightstand as she rolls her body on top of Ava’s again. Ava gives her a questioning look at the action. “ _ A lot _ can happen in thirty minutes,” she says as way of explanation, trailing a hand up Ava’s bare side as she leans down for a kiss.

Ava sighs, but wraps her arms around Sara to pull her closer again.

A three-time thing. With a one-time food after the  _ stress relief _ . But it is only because exams are much too stressing and Ava needed the release.

***

Ava stares down at the paper in her hands. Her Political Science exam. That is definitely an ‘A-’ in the top right. It is not just her exhaustion lying to her.

_ How? _

She had studied so hard, spent all those hours worrying about it… 

Ava cannot remember the last time she got anything less than an ‘A+’. How is she supposed to show her parents this? What if this makes her final grade drop? Surely there is something she can do for extra credit?

“Ready to leave?” Amaya asks, suddenly appearing by her side.

“Right,” Ava says, glancing up at Amaya. She hastily shoves the paper into her bag, but the red symbols are all she can see as she mindlessly follows Amaya to where the group is supposed to meet up for lunch.

“There they are!” Nate exclaims. “How’d it go? Top score?” he asks, looking excitedly between them.

“It went well,” Amaya says, accepting a hug from her boyfriend.

Ava cannot even find the words to answer, just sits down in one of the free chairs she can find.

“You okay?” a soft voice asks from the other side of the table. Ava looks up to find Sara staring at her with worried eyes. Of course Ava had chosen the one chair facing her.

“I got an A—” she starts, before she is interrupted by the group congratulating her. “Minus,” she finishes, curling her hand into a fist.

“That’s great!” Ray says with a grin, a stark contrast to the way Sara draws her eyebrows together and flexes her hand that is laying on the table.

It is Nora’s hand, however, that calmly touches her shoulder and shushes their group. “It’s not a bad grade,” she says calmly, her thumb rubbing Ava’s shoulder. “It’s still an A—”

“An A  _ minus _ ,” Ava cuts her off. “It’s basically a B!”

“But it’s not a B. If the professor thought you deserved a B, they wouldn’t have given you an A. You studied for three exams at the same time, had them all the same week, and still managed to get an A on all three of them. Ava, that’s amazing!” Nora’s words calm her down, just a little. Nora is no stranger to Ava’s high expectations from herself, along with her  _ parents _ ’ high expectations of her, and Ava is not sure what she would have done on many a night if not for her dear friend.

“Thank you,” she says, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly.

When Ava looks away from Nora, she finds Sara eyeing them curiously. When Ava spots her, however, she is suddenly very interested in her coffee.

“I think I’m going to go home. I feel like I could sleep the entire weekend,” Ava says, pushing the chair out as she stands up, forcing Nora to take a step back.

“Do you want company?” Nora asks, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

“I’ll be fine. You guys enjoy lunch.” Ava gives them all a half-hearted smile, then turns on her heel and starts the trek to her car.

She has been home for about two hours when there is a knock on her door. Ava has half a mind to ignore it and continue her true crime marathon, but after the third burst of knocks, she reluctantly pauses the TV and makes her way over to the door.

“What?” she asks as she pulls it open, before she can even see the person on the other side. Hopefully it is not the sweet elderly woman who lives across from her.

“Hello to you too,” Sara says, holding up a bag of Chinese food like a shield.

“What are you doing here?” Ava asks, and maybe it comes out harsher than Sara deserves. Ava cannot find it in herself to care, though. She just wants to be alone.

Sara regards her for a moment, her tongue poking out of her mouth as she tilts her head. “I brought your favorite,” she says after a beat, jostling the bag.

“How do you even know what my favorite is?” Ava asks, finally relenting and gesturing for Sara to enter when it becomes apparent she won’t leave anytime soon.

“You pick Chinese anytime Zari declares she’ll trust the food picking to you, and you always order something with chicken, spicy but not too spicy.” As she talks, Sara puts the bag down on the living room table and extracts the boxes hidden within. “Also noodles, though you always hesitate with them as if you shouldn’t order them. I brought extra.”

Ava’s stomach rumbles as she takes in all the food, and it occurs to her that she has not eaten a single thing since breakfast.

“Thank you,” she says, helpless from keeping a small smile off her lips as she joins Sara on the couch. Sara flashes her a brilliant smile as she hands her a pair of chopsticks.

“True crime?  _ That’s _ what you’ve been doing?” Sara asks, looking between Ava and the TV with wide eyes.

“Everybody has their hobbies.” Ava shrugs as she reaches for the noodles, her mouth watering as she opens the box.

As they eat, it occurs to Ava that the two of them have never been alone together, save for when they were having sex. It feels nice, to hang out with Sara as a friend, and it makes her forget about her grade and feeling miserable for a little while.

“You’ve got a little...” Sara says, pointing at the corner of her own mouth as she puts her nearly empty food container on the table. 

Ava tries to get it with her tongue, which only results in Sara laughing.

“Here,” she says, leaning closer and wiping whatever it was away with her thumb. Ava watches almost mesmerized as Sara brings the thumb to her mouth and sucks it clean. She curses herself at the tingle she feels between her legs at the action.

Before she gets the chance to do anything else, Sara’s lips are on hers and her body is in Ava’s lap. Ava wraps her arms around her, pulling her closer before she has even processed what is happening.

“Forget about today’s grade,” Sara whispers in her ear, her hand trailing down to Ava’s chest. “The two other ones were both A-pluses, and they deserve to be celebrated.”

Ava cannot really argue with that logic. Especially not when Sara kisses her way from Ava’s ear to her neck, lightly sucking on her pulse point when she gets to it.

“We should move this to the bed,” Ava breathes as Sara lightly bites down on her neck.

“Or we could stay right here,” Sara argues, leaning back for a second to pull off her sweater.

“Why?” Ava says, making a face.

“Because couch sex,” Sara says with a shrug, working on undressing Ava next.

“I have a bed,” Ava tries to argue, but Sara’s hand pushing her bra away makes her forget whatever other arguments she had.

So maybe she will have to give up on the idea that she will ever be able to resist Sara. But she can do casual. Right?


	2. I Hope You Know I Wanted You To Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to @Starling83 and @LadyXana for betaing this chapter as well ♥
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy part 2!

Ava is  _ not _ looking through online sex toy shops because of Sara. Sure, it is Sara who had  _ asked _ her if she had ever used a strap-on, but Ava is doing this because  _ she _ is curious. Not because Sara seemed into the idea.

Ava groans and falls back on her couch. There are  _ so many _ options, all of them saying some version of “pick me” and Ava has no experience with choosing which one to pick. She has half a mind to text Sara about it — she obviously has more experience with it than Ava. But, if she is being honest, she kind of wants it to be a surprise when Sara comes back from seeing her parents.

Not to mention, if she sent Sara a message about picking out  _ sex toys _ , Sara would never let her live it down.

Her fingers ache to text her still. Not necessarily for help, but Sara has been gone for the better part of a week and Ava… Does not  _ miss  _ her. That would be ridiculous. Sara is her… her semi friend who she sometimes has sex with. Nothing more. So the notion of missing her just because she is gone for a few days is absurd.

They had simply gotten into a rhythm, and Ava has never been fond of breaking routine.

But she does not “miss” her. Not her smile, not her laugh, not even the way she picks up on details about Ava’s life. Or the way she always knows how to make Ava feel better. Or the soft feel of her smooth skin against Ava’s, nor the way her cheek seems to fit perfectly in Ava’s palm.

Another groan.

They have been sleeping together for weeks now. Nothing more — not as anything other than friends, anyway. The fact that Sara has come over to watch things or even study — though the latter had started by Ava refusing to have sex  _ until  _ her homework was done, and if Sara was going to stay, she might as well do the same — was just simply something done between friends.

Maybe, if Ava is being perfectly honest, she sometimes wishes things were different. That they were not just sleeping together and that all the hours spent together actually meant something. But she is no idiot. She knows full well Sara is still sleeping with other people, that she is as free as a bird. Ava could never ask her to be otherwise, and that’s  _ fine. _

They have something casual, and Ava is absolutely, one hundred percent okay with it.

It’s not like she even wants a relationship anyway. Relationships are for people who have the time and energy for it, both of which Ava pours all of into her studies. This casual thing is perfect for her.

But then why does she feel so weird at the image of Sara in someone else’s bed?

A knock on her door brings her out of her thoughts. 

With an exhale, she pushes herself up from the couch, wondering who could be there. Her mind immediately jumps to Sara, but for once she knows it cannot be her as she is many miles away.

“Nora?” she asks when she opens the door, not expecting to see her best friend on the other side.

“Ava,” Nora responds with a nod, looking at her expectantly.

“What’s up?” Ava asks, not used to Nora just showing up without checking in first.

“Movie night…”  _ Shit. _ Ava had forgotten all about it. It has been so long since she and Nora did something just the two of them (about as long as Ava has been sleeping with Sara, if she thinks it over) that they had decided to hang out. Of course, Ava had been so busy  _ not _ missing Sara that she forgot.

“Of course,” she says and shakes her head. “Please, come in.” Ava takes a step back and gestures with her arm for Nora to enter.

“I brought wine.” Nora offers a secretive smile and jostles a small plastic bag.

“Wine sounds  _ amazing _ ,” Ava says. A girls’ night with Nora is exactly what she needs. “I’ll go get us some glasses.” Ava disappears not a moment after, leaving Nora to wander further inside.

“ _ Ava Sharpe! _ ” Nora exclaims from the couch, making Ava crease her brow.

“What?” Ava asks, hurrying to join her with two wine glasses in hand. Dread settles over her as she spots her laptop in Nora’s hands. There is a glint in Nora’s eyes when she looks at her.

“What’s this?” she asks, looking between Ava and the laptop screen.

“That’s nothing,” Ava says, pushing the laptop closed with her hand. “I thought you were here to watch a movie.”

“I was,” Nora agrees, but those brown eyes are filled with mischief as she flips the laptop open. “But this is much more fun! Who’s the lucky girl and  _ why _ have you not told me you’re dating someone?”

“Can’t I just be shopping for sex toys for myself?” she asks with an undignified huff.

“If you were looking at a tab filled with vibrators, sure. In fact, I’d encourage it. But a tab full of strap-ons can only mean one thing: You’re getting laid. We’ll talk about you keeping your dating life a secret from your best friend  _ after _ you tell me everything about her.” Nora looks at her expectantly, a wide grin on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes.

“We’re not dating,” Ava sighs, watching as those brown eyes go from excited to confused. She takes a deep breath and, before she knows it, tells Nora everything that has happened since Charlie dragged them to that stupid frat party.

“Oh, honey,” Nora says when she is done, her features filled with pity. “You’ve got it  _ bad. _ I’m sorry to break it to you, but casual is not in your vocabulary.”

“I’m doing casual just fine,” Ava says while crossing her arms.

“Sure you are,” Nora says, obviously not agreeing with her but not pushing the issue either. “Now, let’s find the perfect toy for your girlfriend.” The excitement is back in Nora’s eyes as she looks back at the laptop. “Gary is going to freak out when he hears about this.”

Ava groans, reluctantly accepting her fate.

***

Ava eyes the clock warily as it gradually shows later and later. Sara was set to come back to campus today and Ava had been foolish enough to think that she might stop by. Which is the most ridiculous thing. Who gets home from a vacation and immediately goes to see their booty call?

Ava stifles a yawn, watching as the clock changes from ‘10.45pm’ to ‘10.46pm’.  _ It’s time to turn off Netflix and go to bed. _ Ava reaches for the remote, dragging her thumb across the buttons until she finds the right one and turns the TV off. As she readies herself to get up, however, she pauses.

_ A knock. _

It cannot be, can it? She waits a beat. When no sound comes, she chalks it up to wishful thinking. She jumps up from the couch and grasps for her phone. She tells herself her thumb brushes the unlock button by mistake, that she isn’t checking to see if maybe Sara sent her a message. Of course, she finds her notifications empty.

_ Another knock. _ This one louder, more insistent.

Slowly, Ava makes her way towards the door, as if she is dreading the sight that will meet her. She does not know if the dread is for seeing Sara there, or not seeing Sara there.

When her hand takes hold of the cool metal of her door handle, the phone now in her pocket vibrates. Ava reaches for it with her free hand as she pulls the door open. As she peers out into the hallway, she finds the back of a blonde head of hair and a black leather jacket.

At the sound of the door opening, Sara turns around, lowering the phone in her hand. “Hey, stranger,” she says, walking towards Ava with a smile.

“Hey,” Ava responds as a smile graces her own lips. She feels almost weightless when Sara embraces her, pulling her into a hungry kiss. Ava gasps as the force of it pushes her backwards into her apartment, her arms around Sara ensuring she is pulled with her.

Sara pushes her tongue between Ava’s lips, exploring the inside of her mouth as if for the first time. Ava’s heart aches as she thinks that maybe Sara had missed her as much as she had missed Sara.

Sara’s foot makes contact with the door behind her, kicking it closed, and moments later Ava has her pinned against that same door. Ava pulls back, just a few inches, and takes a second to simply take Sara in. Her eyes are glossy, her breaths are quick — matching Ava’s — and there is a nice flush traveling up her throat.

She looks absolutely stunning.

Sara raises an eyebrow at her, trying to pull her impossibly closer by her grasp on Ava’s shirt, and tilts her head slightly, exposing her neck. Ava is powerless to do anything but lean back in, her eager mouth quickly finding Sara’s soft skin. Sara moans into her ear, grabbing Ava’s hair tightly so she can keep her head close.

“I missed you,” Sara purrs, making Ava release the skin she had been sucking on and place a gentle kiss on top of it instead.

Sara’s brow is creased when Ava pulls back, but she cannot help herself from claiming those soft lips again.

“Know what else I missed?” Ava arches an eyebrow, tracing her fingers against Sara’s skin under the hem of her shirt as she waits for her to continue. “That  _ amazing _ bed of yours.”

Ava shakes her head and takes a step back, to Sara’s apparent displeasure. “Well, I believe a reunion is in order.” Sara smirks at Ava’s words, letting Ava pull her by the hand towards the bedroom.

Ava glances at the clock again, holding back a chuckle at how  _ awake _ she feels now that Sara is there.

When they make it to the bedroom, Ava walks into it with her back first, her eyes trained on Sara. Sara’s gaze, however, has no such reservation and eagerly takes a look around the room. She tilts her head and pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as her eyes land on  _ something _ . When Sara takes a step toward it, Ava turns to look at whatever it is.

Ava pales, her heart seemingly slowing down, as she takes in the open cardboard delivery box standing on top of her drawer.

“What’s this?” Sara muses, glancing into it.

“It’s nothing,” Ava tries, but it is already too late. Sara turns to her with a smirk as she reaches for one of the items inside the box.

“Someone’s been busy,” she says, arching an eyebrow as her right hand emerges with a black dildo in its grip. 

If the ground were to open up and swallow her whole, Ava would not complain. She feels warmth travel to her cheeks as she puts her hands behind her back, unable to keep her fingers from fidgeting.

“Did you buy this just because I mentioned it?” Ava wants nothing more than to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off of Sara’s lips. Preferably with her own lips.

“No,” she says quickly, stretching a hand out for the toy only to have Sara hide it behind her back. Ava takes a step towards her, trying to reach for it once more, but Sara takes a step back. Ava sighs, continuing to advance on her until she has her pinned against the wall, Sara’s hand still hiding behind her back.

“I got it for me. Because I was curious.” It’s not completely a lie — ever since Sara brought it up, she  _ has _ been wondering about it. So what if part of that curiosity encompasses the sounds Sara would make and how she would look sprawled out underneath Ava.

“Right,” Sara says, pulling the two of them flush with her hand  _ not _ hiding the dildo. “It had nothing to do with you thinking about fucking  _ me _ with it?”

Ava groans, leaning in for a kiss when she cannot come up with an answer. Sara laughs against her lips as she embraces Ava with both her arms. Ava feels something softly hit her lower back, right above Sara’s right hand.

“Would be a shame to let it go to waste…” Sara says between pants as they catch their breaths. Ava can only nod as she allows Sara to push her towards the bed.

***

“So, Ava,” Nate says, ending whatever conversation the group had been having. Ava turns her full attention to where he is seated, leaned into Amaya’s side. “You got anyone special yet?” Ava narrows her eyes at him, trying to process the meaning behind his words. “You’ve been… busy a lot lately, and, you know, it’d be nice to know you’re not just spending your time alone studying.”

Ava’s eyes widen, nowhere near expecting the question. She glances around at her friends, finding all of them in a pair; Amaya and Nate, Nora and Ray, Zari and Charlie, and even Gary had started bringing John Constantine, out of everyone, to their hangouts. It is safe to say, Ava feels very outnumbered. _ Curse Mick for having other plans today and Sara for arriving late. _

Before she manages to collect herself enough to give an answer, Nora beats her to it.

“She’s dating someone,” Nora says, hiding her smirk at Ava’s glare behind her coffee.

“It’s true!” Gary cuts in excitedly. 

Ava regrets telling both of them about Sara.

“Oh?” Nate says, suddenly very interested, but Ava’s attention is torn from him to Sara, who has finally arrived. She has an indecipherable look on her face as she sits down next to Zari. Ava narrows her eyes at her, an unfamiliar pit forming deep in her stomach.

Her shift of focus allows the group to change subjects before she can say anything to dispute Gary and Nora’s words, but Ava finds she has no energy to care about it.

Sara comes by her apartment later in the day, because of course she does. Ava is more than happy to oblige to her whims, however, and does not protest when Sara takes them straight to the bedroom. The sex is as good as it has always been — better even, now that they have learned each other’s bodies so well.

Sara has just found a particularly good spot beneath Ava’s waist when she poses the question Ava had been expecting the least.

“So, you have a girlfriend?” she says, her hand growing more determined as she applies her ministrations. It takes a few minutes for Ava to process the question through the haze of pleasure.

“What?” she forces out, wondering for just a second if this is Sara’s way of asking her out. Of course, the next words out of Sara’s mouth shatter that hope.

“Nora and Gary said you have one. Earlier today.” How Sara can talk so evenly in the middle of  _ all this _ Ava will never understand.

“They were… just… messing… around,” Ava gasps out between moans, cursing Sara for trying to hold a  _ conversation _ right this second.

Sara hums in reply, lowering her mouth to Ava’s collarbone as her hand grows firmer still.

When they have worn each other out, Ava drags her lips up the length of Sara’s torso, hoping for one last kiss before Sara  inevitably leaves.

Losing herself in Sara when they’re together, surrendering to her touch, is one of the easiest things Ava can do. But, even easier still is it to forget, once they’re done, that Sara’s skin is not hers to adore, Sara’s lips not hers to claim, Sara’s eyes not hers to lose herself in…

Ava wants nothing more than to do all of it and more for the rest of eternity.

But she knows she cannot. She reluctantly rolls off of Sara’s body, putting her left arm underneath her head as she simply looks at her, but she cannot pull her hand away from where it is resting against Sara’s impossibly soft cheek.

“Why did you ask me if I have a girlfriend?” Ava cannot help the words from rolling off her tongue — a tongue that still has Sara’s taste on it.

Sara shrugs, lifting her fingers to softly stroke Ava’s outstretched arm. “You hadn’t mentioned one before so earlier, it took me by surprise.” Something flashes deep in Sara’s blue eyes, but it is gone before Ava can properly register it.

“Why did you still come here, if you thought I was with someone else?” Ava does not know why she cannot let the subject rest, but she has to know.

“I mean, we’ve been doing this for a while now. I assumed that  _ if  _ you were in a relationship, it would be an open one.”

“Oh.” Ava supposes it is a fair assessment. A few seconds of silence pass between them before she asks, “Don’t you have to get back soon?” It is not that she  _ wants _ Sara to leave, but the longer she stays, the more Ava’s heart aches for her to never leave.

“About that…” Sara averts her gaze and the fingers on Ava’s arm stop moving. “Zari kind of kicked me out for the night because her and Charlie’s plans fell through so they’re gonna be… perusing the room. I was hoping I could crash here? The couch’ll be fine.” Sara’s eyes are hopeful as they look back at her, and her fingers slowly start on their path again.

“Of course,” Ava breathes, offering Sara a small smile. “And I would hope we can share a bed for one night after everything we’ve done in it…”

“Thank you,” Sara says quickly, all in one breath, closing the distance between them with lightning speed to give Ava a short kiss. Ava’s eyes are wide when she pulls back, not having expected the kiss in the slightest.

Ava only nods, trying to still her heart. Looking at Sara and the way her heart feels like it is ready to burst at the thought of them actually spending the night together, one thing becomes clear in Ava’s mind.

Whatever this is that they have, Ava  _ has _ to break it off. 

It is either that, or lose herself completely in someone who only considers her a good lay.

***

Ava glances at the phone currently clutched in her hand. Or rather, the still unread message showing on the screen. ‘ _ Can we talk? _ ’ The nail of her index finger scratches against the back as she waits for a reply. It is bad enough that she is having to do this at all, but Sara just has to make it harder by dragging it out.

It has been just under half an hour since she sent the message. Maybe Sara has already gone to bed? She locks the phone and throws it on the couch beside her. As she tries to focus on whatever it is that is happening on the TV, she fetches a hair scrunchie from the table drawer and goes through the familiar motions of putting her hair into a bun.

It is nowhere near perfect without the pins to go along with the scrunchie, but the familiar motions help calm her, if only a little. It is better than letting her nails bite into her palms, at least.

She is just about ready to give up when her phone vibrates. She does not think her arm has ever moved as quickly as it does when she grasps for the phone.

_ ‘Be there in 5 min,’ _ the message flashing on the screen reads back to her.

Despite this being what Ava wanted, her heart races as she sends a quick confirmation.

Those five minutes feel like the worst eternity Ava has ever been in. At the end of them, the door swings open and a disheveled looking Sara bursts through it.

“Ava?” she asks, worry evident in her voice.

“Over here,” Ava responds, sitting cross-legged on the couch. She does not think her voice has ever sounded so small.

Sara rushes over to her, her eyes quickly looking Ava over. “Are you okay?” she asks, cupping Ava’s face with one hand.

“I’m fine,” Ava says, pulling back from Sara’s touch.

“Oh,” Sara says, her shoulders dropping as she takes a step back. “Good.”

Ava hates the hurt she sees on Sara’s face, but if she does not do this now, only more hurt will come from it. “Sit down?” she asks, looking up at Sara.

Sara nods, sitting on the couch with one folded leg underneath her so she is facing Ava. “You wanted to talk?”

Ava nods. She takes a deep breath, trying to form the words with her mouth. _ It’s now or never _ . “I don’t think we should do this anymore.”

Sara’s brow creases as she tilts her head. “Do what?”

Dammit,  _ why can’t Sara just get it? _ “This,” she says, gesturing between them. When the crease between Sara’s eyebrows only deepens, she continues with, “Everything we’ve been doing since that party.”

Sara’s eyes widen. “You mean us sleeping together.” It is not posed as a question, but Ava nods either way. “Why?”

Ava pauses. Out of everything, she had not expected that response. “What do you mean ‘why’?”

“Why shouldn’t we do this anymore?” Sara raises an eyebrow, obviously waiting for a logical answer. The one thing Ava cannot give. “What, am I suddenly not attractive enough for you?” Ava flinches — Sara has to be the most beautiful person she has ever met. “Do I bore you?”

“No,” Ava sighs, wishing only for this conversation to be over.

“Then why?” Their gazes lock, and realization dawns on Sara’s features. Ava wishes she could retreat. It is bad enough to know her own feelings, but for Sara to find out as well? Ava cannot take it. “You finally found a girlfriend.”

_ What? _ “I— what?” Ava asks, taken completely off guard.

“You found someone to date and so the booty call has to go. I get it. It was only a matter of time before it happened.” Sara shakes her head and gracefully slides onto her feet.

For a brief moment, Ava entertains the idea of just going with it. It would make this whole conversation a lot easier. But, as she opens her mouth, she cannot bring herself to lie to Sara. “Wait, that’s not— I’m not dating anyone!” Sara pauses at the edge of the couch, turning around to look at Ava. Ava does not know what to make of the gaze that meets her.

“Then tell me why you want to end this!” Sara demands, taking a step forwards as her eyes narrow on Ava.

“ _ God, _ because I have feelings for you.” Ava takes a step forwards of her own, refusing to back down from Sara’s challenge.

Sara frowns, her jaw clenching as she takes one more step. “Then why break this off?”

Ava matches the step, bringing them within a few inches of each other. “Because,” she says, raising her hands and curling her fingers halfway, putting all the tension she feels into them, “I can’t stand the thought of you sharing my bed one day and someone else’s the next.” She searches Sara’s eyes, looking for any sign as to what she is thinking.

She freezes in place when, instead of giving her an answer, Sara closes what little distance is left between them and forces Ava’s head lower so she can kiss her. Ava’s brow furrows but, just like every other time Sara has been this close, Ava is helpless to do anything but kiss her back and wrap her arms around her.

“Sara, what—”

“I haven’t slept with anyone else in  _ weeks _ ,” Sara says, holding Ava’s gaze as she scratches the nape of her neck.

“How?” The word escapes Ava’s lips before she can stop it. Sara only raises an amused eyebrow at her. “I mean, I thought you wanted… more than what I could give you.”

“Oh, Ava,” Sara says softly, pressing her body closer as she easily pulls apart Ava’s bun. “You give me everything I could ever want. And, yeah, it started out as something casual for me, but after a while, no one else was enough. But I thought  _ you _ wanted to keep it the way it was. You always said you didn’t have time for anything else with your studies.”

“I don’t,” Ava confirms, thinking back to why she accepted this arrangement in the first place.

Sara rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Think about it. We’ve basically been dating for weeks.” Ava does. She thinks back to all the times they have shared food before or after sleeping together, all the times Sara has been over when they did not sleep together at all. All the shared smiles, all the time spent missing Sara when she was not near, and all the time spent in Sara’s embrace… 

“I guess you’re kinda right,” Ava says, still stunned by where the conversation has gone.

“Duh,” Sara says, pushing up on her toes to give Ava a quick kiss.

“So where does that leave us?” Ava asks, afraid of letting go of her hold on Sara before she gets an answer.

“Preferably in your bed,” Sara responds with a smirk, making Ava roll her eyes. “The couch works fine, too, if that’s what you prefer.” Sara arches her eyebrow, looking at Ava with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Sara, I’m serious,” Ava says as she tightens her arms around her, but she cannot resist a small smile.

Sara sighs, casting her eyes down before looking up at Ava again, looking uncharacteristically small. “Girlfriends?” she asks quietly, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.

“Girlfriends,” Ava repeats, her voice full of wonder, as she welcomes a full blown smile on her lips.

Sara grins back at her and pulls her into one more kiss, this one longer than all the rest. “Now can we move this to your bed?” she asks when she pulls back.

Ava chuckles, giving her one last kiss before pulling her towards the bedroom.

For the first time when they’re done, Sara rests her head on Ava’s shoulder and slings her arm across Ava’s stomach. Ava wraps her own arms around Sara’s body, pressing her impossibly closer. She lifts her head from the pillow so she can kiss the top of Sara’s, her heart bursting at the way the night has gone. But, part of her is still waiting for Sara to disappear, to leave the bed and fall right back into their previous routine.

“What are you thinking about?” Sara asks softly, moving her hand to trace gentle patterns onto Ava’s collarbone.

“You,” Ava answers honestly, lifting a hand to run through silky smooth hair. She can feel Sara’s resulting smile against her shoulder, right before Sara presses a kiss to it.

“All good?” Sara asks, angling her head up so she can look at Ava. She looks absolutely ethereal as Ava looks down at her.

“The best,” Ava confirms, lowering her head for a chaste kiss. Sara relaxes into it, and Ava knows in her heart that  _ this  _ is exactly how she wants to spend the rest of her life. She can only hope that Sara has found the same thing.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on @wardenroot on tumblr


End file.
